GOP senator: ‘No problem’ with Mueller testifying

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) says he has “no problem” with special counsel Robert Mueller testifying about his probe into the 2016 presidential election, underscoring the different points of view within the Senate GOP caucus.

“I thought it was interesting the attorney general said he had no problem with that. I would have no problem with that,” Johnson told Wisconsin radio station WTMJ on Thursday, asked about Mueller testifying. 

He added that he would “be happy to listen to his testimony.” 

{mosads}Democrats are clamoring for Mueller to testify publicly about his two-year investigation into Russian election interference and the Trump campaign, as well as how he made his decisions on collusion and obstruction of justice. 

Attorney General William Barr said during his press conference on Thursday that he would have “no problem” with Mueller testifying before Congress. 

Two House panels, the Judiciary and the Intelligence committees, have already summoned Mueller to appear publicly. Though Barr is scheduled to testify next month, no Senate committees have yet signaled they will call for Mueller to also appear. 

Johnson’s comments are the latest sign of division among Republicans about whether the former FBI director should be brought before the Senate. 

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told McClatchy that he was “not interested” in calling Mueller to testify before his panel. 

“He’s done his job,” Graham said about Mueller. “I’m not going to retry the case.”

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) hasn’t commented on having Mueller testify since the report was released on Thursday. 

But when asked about calling Mueller during a speech at Duke University earlier this month, Burr said that “we will probably not be calling individuals, it’s probably the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee.”

Two members of Burr’s panel have taken different points of view on if Mueller should be called to testify. 

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a member of the Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that she was “pleased” Barr wouldn’t object to Mueller testifying. 

“If Mr. Mueller were to testify, it could give the Congress and the American people another opportunity to better understand the facts and conclusions that he reached during his investigation,” she said. 

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a member of GOP leadership and of the Intelligence panel, described himself as “neutral” on Mueller testifying.

“The job of the special counsel is to report his findings to the attorney general. I’m neutral on whether he should come and talk about his findings or not. I think his decision not to become a media figure during the investigation itself was both extraordinary and I thought a good decision,” Blunt told reporters on Thursday.